I'm making it a pattern, but I'm here for the 2nd half. After seeing Gilmoy's pbp of the 1st half, I'm not surprised to see Sheridan getting subbed in.
2nd game of the day's lineups are out as well: Second half is set to begin in just a few seconds! We've got a game coming up right after this one ends too.Lineups for @ThornsFC vs. @UtahRoyalsFC are out! #PORvUTA | #NWSL pic.twitter.com/hkTFyQcbM4— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) September 20, 2020 Sauerbrunn available.
46' 3-1 Sky Blue subs in { 0th of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #1 Kailen Sheridan for #13 Dijana Haracic. Mostly a scripted sub, as HC Coombe planned to play both GKs today, so it was just a matter of which minute. 47' 3-1 Biegalski dribbles past circle top wide right, Monaghan tugs her back by the shoulder. Foul, yellow card on Monaghan.
54' 3-1 Chicago's willingness to cede corner kicks is looking like a strength, not a weakness. It simplifies their defense, and relentlessly grinds down Sky Blue's offensive possessions into nothing. Chicago trusts their box defense + Naeher, and so far they've been right. 57' 4-1 Luebbert springs a 2-v-3 counter through midfield mid-left. Watt cleverly veers center-to-left in front of her run to create width, Lewandowski doesn't go wide with her. Luebbert drives centerward to 27m arc left, perfectly times a pass behind Lewandowski to arc top left. Watt veers to ball with a 3 step lead, goes alone to 10m 3-left. Quick right toe-poke sneaks under Sheridan's left leg, rolls unerringly just behind right post low. .@KealiaOhai is back, back in the goalscoring groove 🎵The @chiredstarsPR forward has her second goal of the contest.4-1 | #CHIvNJ Tune in now on @CBSAllAccess and @Twitch.#NWSLFallSeries | #VerizonCommunityShield pic.twitter.com/P4O2JoHcOA— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 20, 2020 62' 4-1 Sky Blue subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #24 Estelle Johnson for #22 Mandy Freeman. 66' 4-1 Chicago subs in { 1st of 3 }: - (1 of 5) #34 Aerial Chavarin for #13 Morgan Gautrat (ankle?).
72' 4-1 Onumonu receives at arc top box right, dribbles through box top right to 6m mid-right -- then shoots quick right instep low across mouth, but it bends wrong way and rolls juuust wide left low. 72' 4-1 Sky Blue subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (3 of 5) #8 Erika Skroski for #15 Sabrina Flores. 74' 4-1 Watt receives down wide right to 4m, hooks a cross toward 5m center. Goralski misreads the outswing, jumps under ball and heads straight up. Ball drops at 1m center, Sheridan catches high. 75' 4-1 Skroski overlaps to 6-top mid-right, drives a ground cross through 6-top that somehow misses everybody, out through box left.
77' 4-1 Sky Blue subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (4 of 5) #5 Nicole Baxter for #6 Jennifer Cudjoe. 77' 4-1 Chicago subs in { 2nd of 3 }: - (2 of 5) #27 Dani Rhodes for #32 Zoey Goralski. 88' 4-1 Chicago subs in { 3rd of 3 }: - (3 of 5) #30 Hannah Davidson for #19 Sarah Luebbert. +5'. 90+1' (of +5') 4-1 Sky Blue lift a pass to circle top chest-high, Woldmoe stoops and heads it first, then H.Davidson exuberantly leaps to chest ball and chests Woldmoe's head instead. Foul, yellow card on H.Davidson.
I might be alone in this, but I would appreciate a bit more actual play-by-play calling in these games than we're hearing, considering how many newer players there are who I can't recognize yet. Although now that I think about it, maybe the commentators can't recognize the players yet either, seeing as how they're calling the games remotely.
Wait, what?!? They just announced Amy LePeilbet has been named interim head coach after Harrington and his assistant coach were placed on a leave of absence. Um, what happened?
I'm all for LePeilbet being head coach, but even Utah's beat writer didn't know about this: Wow. Trying to look into this. https://t.co/ZGxFFqj3UZ— Alex Vejar (Tortured Poet version) (@AlexMVejar) September 20, 2020
Talking with sources now — Harrington's leave of absence is directly tied to the overall investigation into the culture in Utah. Inappropriate comments, at the minimum.#NWSL— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) September 20, 2020 Sources have said that Harrington has made multiple inappropriate comments of a sexual nature to staff — based off my conversations so far, this has not been to/at/about players. #NWSL https://t.co/JcPSJp2adB— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) September 20, 2020 Still not official news but Linehan is usually reliable.
GOAL! Charley just takes on the defense by herself and scores! Portland 1-0. Sheesh @SimoneCharley! Class.#PORvUTA | #BAONPDX pic.twitter.com/4n8oOBL2JP— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) September 20, 2020
Damn, so Harrington out for the moment... I wonder what, if any, story there is about his time in Chicago. Considering he was an assistant and not the leader there, and that it seems like his comments were directed at staff instead of players, I wonder if he just kept thoughts to himself back during his time at the Red Stars. Great opportunity for LePeilbet though. Comparing to MLS' history, NWSL is getting close to the age when previous players begin filling out the coaching ranks.
Sophia Smith scores in her debut...with one of her first touches in the game and less than 5 minutes in the game! 2-0.
GOAL! 3-0. Portland pulling far ahead now. Horan presses Smith on a back pass, and the clearance bounces off her and into the goal. It wasn't a pretty goal, but Horan has been doing a lot in this game so it wasn't undeserved.
FT, Portland 3-0. They had the run of play pretty much the whole game. And we still don't know exactly what all is happening in Utah. (no more info on the broadcast)